As spring sap begins to flow and vines come out of winter dormancy, Psa symptoms are being reported. Spring is a high-risk season for Psa, and growers are recommended to start monitoring vines to understand how Psa is unfolding on their orchards this spring.

To date, some reports from around the regions include:

Edgecumbe: exudate is being seen on some leader cankers and suckers retained as graft options.

Hawkes Bay: some Psa positive sites are seeing symptoms on more plants – mainly younger vines in more stressed areas. Some Hayward and G3 symptoms are appearing worse than the same time last year.

Waihi and Whanganui: both regions are showing spring symptoms.

Use the Psa-V Risk Model to help identify upcoming risk periods and to assist with timing of protective sprays.

Click here to register for a login for the Psa-V Risk Model if you don’t already have one.

Growers are invited to join a Zespri webinar on Wednesday 14 September at 4pm that will cover R&D projects, an update on resistance and best practice through spring. Full details, including instructions on how to join the webinar are available on the Zespri Canopy.

Grower News

8 September 2016

Mandatory monitoring requirements

8 September 2016

It’s that time of year again. Mandatory monitoring and reporting requirements for 2016 are outlined on the KVH website here.
In summary, all orchards in an ‘Exclusion’...

Growers who find Psa for the first time on their property are required to advise KVH within 48 hours of identification. KVH will pay for lab testing in Exclusion regions and 'Not Detected' orchards in Containment regions only.

Growers organising their own testing are reminded Hill Laboratories run testing for Psa once a week – every Wednesday. However, for urgent sampling, they can turn around a rapid test within 48 hours if need be. There is an additional cost to do this.

This is one of five ambitious strategic directions MPI is proposing as part of Biosecurity 2025 and one which KVH firmly supports.

Success means that by 2025, all New Zealander’s will be aware of and knowledgeable about biosecurity and empowered to participate as biosecurity guardians.

As part of MPI’s consultation process, KVH and other industries participated in a workshop hosted by MPI to work through this strategic direction to make this goal a reality. The workshop’s aim was to bring relevant industries together to better understand the strategic direction and give input about what it will deliver, what actions for different audiences will be required, how it will be implemented and what measures will assess progress.

Biosecurity 2025 is about reviewing and future-proofing New Zealand's biosecurity system. Public and industry consultation is underway and KVH will be putting forward a submission on behalf of the kiwifruit industry before it closes tomorrow. The submission will be available once finalised.

Protocols & Movement Controls

8 September 2016

Correct disposal of plant material

8 September 2016

Reports of kiwifruit trunks being dumped in gullies and roadsides following cut out for winter grafting is concerning.
Trunks are a risk item capable of spreading Psa or exacerbating wild...

Reports of kiwifruit trunks being dumped in gullies and roadsides following cut out for winter grafting is concerning.

Trunks are a risk item capable of spreading Psa or exacerbating wild kiwifruit infestations, as they are capable of taking root and growing if dumped in a damp place.

Growers must ensure all kiwifruit plant material is removed and disposed of according to KVH Protocol: Disposal Options, i.e. controlled burial, burning or mulching on site. If dumped vines regrow and result in wild kiwifruit, growers will have to pay for the cost of control.